Tracking only “effort” of MR s without tracking “results” in a CRM software is like batting without looking at the score board in a T-20 cricket match

I have seen many CRM solutions that Pharma companies are using – including some popular global solutions that MNC s typically use. What is striking about them is that most of them go to great lengths to incorporate CLM (Closed Loop Marketing) and perhaps also tracking all the “effort” from the field force. However, not many have built-in “results” tracking (Sales and prescriptions). This, to my mind, is akin to batting (especially in a T-20 match) without ever looking at the score board!

Effort Indicators

What are the various inputs that are typically used by an MR on a doctor?

Traditional Brand detailing and Leave Behinds

E-Detailing: This is a more recent trend, where audio visuals are used to present product literature on any tablet based device.

Samples Dispensed

CME and other Campaigns

In more recent times, we are also seeing other trends, such as remote detailing, hybrid detailing, virtual meets, mails, social media interactions and more.

With all these inputs, the Pharma Company analyses the call quantity and quality measures of an MR. for example – Call Average on a day, Call frequency, Doctor coverage and so on

While most CRM solutions track all the above, Should the MR not get some continuous data on what results all this effort is yielding? Is a CRM solution all about only dealing with customer relations only? Is there no need for the solution to carry any data on how doctors have responded to relationship selling effort?

Result Indicators

There are 3 main on-going measures of results that need to be analysed time to time

Doctor Prescriptions

Primary Sales

Secondary Sales

An Ideal CRM solution should capture all these 3 data points and correlate with effort indicators to arrive at the true performance of a medical rep. How do we obtain and disseminate these data in a CRM solution?

Primary Sales

Primary sales is normally captured in the ERP solution. A good CRM solution would pick this data, process mapping rules on the data, and finally arrive at Head Quarter level data. This can be a complex process—but is essential. Some of the companies set targets on the basis of Primary Data, hence mapping this data onto a CRM platform will help the MR track where he/she is in terms of sales achievement.

Secondary Sales

Similarly, secondary sales, either obtained at source from stockists or captured by MRs in an application has to be processed and mapped, in order to disseminate the data to the field. This is usually the true value of sales and hence holds more importance to the Pharma company than Primary Sales. The company may also want to analyze the movement of the Primary v/s Secondary Sales in order to control the demand supply chain.

Doctor Prescription data

In India, this is best obtained through a solution that has RCPA (Retail Chemist Prescription Audit). This enables the company to track the prescription of its brands versus its competitor brands at any given point of time.

In my view, when a company evaluates a CRM solution, it should ensure that the application has the capability to extract, transform and publish sales and prescription data alongside effort data. Not only that, getting any sales data at the end of the month is like not getting the data at all. If the sales and prescription data are integrated real time, the sales team is up to date in terms of their own performance. If this is not there, it is like a batsman battling away at the wicket, without any clue on what the team score is!